San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-02-03
Hico, Tex, Jan, 1887.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(Frcm Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Jan. "a, 1887.

WASHINGTON, Jan. "a, 1887.
The present Congress has redeem.
ed its reputation during the first half
of this its lust session, and it will now
go down to history honored, even if
il should do nothing more for the
remainder of its life. The enactment
of the Presidential Succession bill has
been followed by that regulating the
Electoral Count, and so Il double peril
is removed. It is now pretty certain
that President C!evelands successors
will be elected and inaugurated with
out any resort to partisan war-a cal
amity that hitherto has been avelted
by the tolerance Of the people.
But this is not half of what has
been accomplished. The Interstate
Commerce bill, ''for better or for
worse" has gone through both
houses, and only awaits the excel
tive signature to become law. Then
a rigorous anti-polygamy measure
has at last been passed; i'm investiga-
ton of the Pacific railroad crooked
ness has been ordered, and the old
Mexican veterans are about to be
ponsioned.
At the end Of this Congress the
terms of one third of the whole num-
Der of United States Senators expire.
While some of them have been re-
elected, others will be succeeded by
new men. 1t is noticeable that Fed
erul soldiers are getting scarce in the
Senate. There are only seven men
who fought on the Union side during
the wur,while there are sixteen whose
names are on the muster rolls OF the
Confederacy. 1t is probable that
only three OF the eX-Fcderals will be
left when the Senate is called to order
ut the commencement of the next
session. These will be Senators Haw-
ley, Henderson and Plump. Fifteen
Republican Senators will be sworn
in on the 4th of next March, but four
of them wore the Confederate gray.
This will leave the Senate with TWEEN
ty eX-Confedcrates and three soldiers
of the Union.
In regard to Lieutenant Emory's
Arctic trip, Secretary Whitney has
expressed himself in no uncertain
language. Referring to the report
that the Lieutenant wanted to go
North in the "Thetis, he said the
United States had something else to
do with it's vessels, naval officers and
sailors besides sending them off on
Arctic expeditions. Il will not say,
however" continued the Secretary,
"that there will be no such expedition
under the present administration.hut
certainly not with my consent. No
one will receive orders from me for
such Il trip IN consonance with my
wishes.
The President is in good health
again, but lac is careful to favor his
rheumatic knee on all occasions. He
felt compelled to decline to review
the order of the Mystic Shrine which
visited the city during the week, for
fear of the damp air to which he
would he exposed. and be could not
90 to the top of the Washington
Monument with Mrs. Cleveland and
Mr. Corcuran according to appoint
ment This trip to the clouds had
been arranged for three o'clock. aud
NJ that hour everything was in readI-
ness for the distinguished visitors.
The interior Of the Monument was
electrically lighted from top to hot
tom. fire WAS huilt IN the boiler
house, steam was generated. and sew
eral preliminary steps 81 the elevator
had been made to seot that everything
WIS in complete raining oIisr for
the expected visit IL the President
Mrs. Cleveland was on time, and. an
uouuciu- IN q Disappointed tone than
tha President vas not able tu come.
gracefully rendered btr arm t0 tEe
venerable Mr.. C1r-1rlu. and cHlluc-
ted him 20 the elevator IT, ar IN